If this year’s Super Rugby setup has left you scratching your head you’re not alone, because no matter how well acquainted we are with the qualifying criteria one look at the various logs usually leads to bafflement.

You can blame SANZAR and their desire to grow the game (read cash in on increased TV rights, let’s call it what it is), and spare a thought for the Kiwi teams that must face each other twice – whereas our boys get to boot the Kings and Sunwolves around for a laugh.

Take a look at the Australasian log, for example, where the Brumbies will cruise through as the top Aussie side despite having fewer wins than teams below them:

That being said it’s still been a good season for the Stormers, who have wrapped up a quarter-final berth after a series of strong performances.

Led by Robbie Fleck (the former Springbok pinup pictured below in his heyday), they are now readying themselves for any opponent, rather than becoming caught up in the guessing game.

Sport24 reports:

After securing the Africa One Conference, the Stormers could meet either the Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders or even the Hurricanes in the quarter finals. But Fleck said that’s next week’s worry as they host the Kings at Newlands this weekend.

“We’re going to leave that for next week. What’s important is what we do against the Kings. We’ll deal with whoever we play next week,” Fleck [said].

“Yes, the conference has been won and we’re playing the Kings. They’re a side that have always been in the mix with most teams at half-time, so they’re not an easy side to play.

“We need to find an intensity that we haven’t had this season and that’s what we need to take into this game. It’s actually a very crucial week and game for us from our side.”

That it is, so it’s a good thing it’s the ramshackle Kings team that we’re facing. No disrespect to them (but yeah, kind of), but they have conceded the most points and scored the second least in this year’s Super Rugby competition.

Give them a good klap and we’ll have real momentum heading into the next round – storm saam.

[source:sport24]